Topic: Saratoga WarHorse; A Creative Strategy for Veterans with PTSD.
Date and Time: Monday, April 1, 2019 10:00 am, Eastern Daylight Time
Event number: 643 675 064
Event password: nysomh123
Event address for attendees:
meetny.webex.com/meetny/onstage/g.php?MTID=eb5c1f7531c7f712761eaf5227f301e19
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Saratoga WarHorse Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the mission of helping veterans and racehorses find health, happiness, and purpose in life after trauma. They are a national organization and serve the United States military veterans and service members who are struggling with post-traumatic stress. The participants’ trauma is most often a result of combat, military sexual assault, and/or transitioning from military to civilian life. They help these veterans and service members to move past their trauma by partnering them with rescued, off-the-track, thoroughbred racehorses during a one-time, three-day experience. Participants refer to the innovative approach to addressing post-traumatic stress as the “Connection Process.”
Post-traumatic stress can manifest itself in various symptoms. When potential participants reach out to Saratoga WarHorse for help, they are most commonly experiencing sleeplessness, nightmares/flashbacks, feeling withdrawn, depression, and/or suicidal ideation. Saratoga WarHorse is unique because they do not ask veterans and service members about their trauma. In fact, they specifically ask them not to discuss it. Their method is focused on helping participants get past the physiological symptoms of their post-traumatic stress.
Their method is rooted in the philosophy of Predator-Prey relationships. Humans are predator animals. Horses, on the other hand, are prey animals. A horse’s natural instinct is to fear and run away from humans (predators). During each program, participants are provided with a basic introduction to horses and how horses communicate with others. The veterans then have one goal: to convince a horse to trust them enough to accept them as the horse’s “herd leader.” In order to do this, the participants cannot use force or dominance, as a Predator usually would. Rather, they need to transcend the language barrier between Human and Horse. Their staff provide participants with all of the tools and coaching necessary to successfully bond and connect with the horses.
Sincerely,
John B. Stenson
Office of Consumer Affairs
Office of Mental Health
44 Holland Avenue, Albany, New York 12229
(518) 408-2013, (518) 817-7659 (Cell)
john.stenson@omh.ny.gov
